Day 118 of 599 of מלחמת העצמאות MILḤEMET HAʾAẒMAʾUT (War of Independence)

The Agency's representatives sought cessation of hostilities, removal of identifiable foreign armed groups, border controls and protection of their national rights. משה שרת MOŜE SHARETT set conditions for a truce in talks with Marshall. treats the American memorandum, including the representatives' willingness to recommend terms rather than claim a completed agreement. Their reported estimate of incoming armed men remains a speaker's estimate.¹

JTA's 26 March issue describes ההגנה HAʾHAGANA attacking forces preparing an assault near טירת צבי TIRAT ZVI, demolishing access routes and raiding a nearby village. It also reports demolition of a flour mill in the Manshiyya quarter of יפו YAFO after a four-hour battle. These are attributed accounts, including claims about enemy losses and imperial assistance to the opposing force.²

The online transcription's today wording lacks a separately verified dispatch timestamp. These incidents belong in this day's reportage with an occurrence-date qualification; the issue date alone cannot settle whether each happened on 25 or 26 March. Damage to village buildings does not establish the fate or departure date of every resident.

The bulletin reports that passports would cease to provide imperial protection after 15 May while still indicating citizenship. That was an announcement of a future change, not immediate cancellation of every document. The same report says religious authorities disputed an announcement that access for פסח PESAḤ services at the Western Wall had already been arranged.³

The diary records continuing defense administration and supply discussions. Its archive annotation links the previous day's policing decision to a subsequent order. הסוכנות היהודית HAʾSOḪNUT HAʾYEHUDIT advanced plans for a provisional council and police force. distinguishes that editorial information from the original order, which has not been inspected. Preparation was proceeding while authority remained contested.⁴

This is Day 118 of the 599-day civil-date series: 1948-03-26. Its daytime portion maps to ט״ו באדר ב׳ ה׳תש״ח 15th 𝑜𝑓 Adar II, AM 5708. After local sunset the Hebrew date changes to ט״ז באדר ב׳ ה׳תש״ח 16th 𝑜𝑓 Adar II, AM 5708. The daily route does not assign every reported incident to that Hebrew date.

The diplomatic meeting and diary bear 26 March, daytime 15 Adar II; unknown meeting hours retain the after-sunset alternative of 16 Adar II. The JTA issue is securely 26 March, but its relative occurrence wording awaits the original dispatch. Future passport consequences belong after the Mandate, not to this day’s implementation.^{5 6}

• What would make a truce enforceable against continued infiltration?
• Why is an issue date insufficient to fix every engagement described as today?